Blackwell delight at Millers options

Assistant manager Kevin Blackwell insists the Rotherham United squad is more than capable of coping with injuries as they move into the final six games of the Sky Bet Championship season.

The Millers have been struck by injuries to the likes of Frazer Richardson and Danny Ward in recent weeks but have seen a number of players step into their places with notable ease.

The Rotherham United number two is confident that should anyone fall foul to injury there will be a more than capable replacement waiting in the wings to stake a claim for a regular first team berth.

“When we talk about praising any particular player, it’s been the squad that has got us where we are today,” Blackwell told www.themillers.co.uk.

“Players that have come in and held their own and I know now that the lads don’t want to go out the team because they feel that whoever comes in is more than capable of cementing that position.”

“We don’t just set up for one scenario. The gaffer and the coaches at this football club always look ahead for what could happen,” Blackwell explained.

“It’s all planned and prepared for so if anything happens to any of the players we’ve got a contingency plan.”

Frazer Richardson returned to the bench after a spell on the sidelines for the game against Leeds United but is still looking to displace Republic of Ireland international Stephen Kelly who profited from his absence, while Richard Wood’s accomplished showing at Bristol City means he has re-established himself in the heart of the Millers’ defence at the expense of Lloyd Doyley.

“I know Frazer is chomping at the bit to get back in, he went out through injury but at the moment can’t get back in because of the form of Kels [Stephen Kelly]. That’s a great thing to have in the squad as well,” Blackwell enthused.

“Woody lost his place through injury and Doyley came in and held his own so I’m afraid Lloyd will have to wait for his turn if that’s the case again but we’ll just see what happens over the next 24-48 hours.

Blackwell is currently unsure as to whether injuries will affect selection for the trip to Milton Keynes on Saturday but is hopeful that players currently on the treatment table will recover in time for the Sky Bet Championship clash at stadiummk.

“At the moment I can’t really tell you. At the moment there are two or three players that are on the treatment table and Greg was obviously one of them,” he admitted.

“He [Lloyd Doyley] fits in the category with Broady and Greg Halford and people like that. We’ve got four or five that are carrying niggling injuries and we’ll leave it to the last possible minute.

“We’ll just see how it goes but the lads are desperate to play and are chomping at the bit, so I’m quite confident that most of them will be available."